


Expect the Unexpected

by petiteneko



Series: Revolutionary Pirate [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Moda's old enough as her age isn't declared and so she's an adult here, So I'm not putting this into a relationship tag but this has minor Ace/Moda bits, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-09-23 09:49:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9650324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/petiteneko/pseuds/petiteneko
Summary: When Sabo received a letter from a girl in the middle of the Grandline, he wasn’t too sure what he was expecting. But whatever it was, it most certainly wasn’t this.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Wolfli](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfli/gifts).



> This is a birthday present/dedication to my friend. The two of us had discussed this UA in great length one night and yeah, I decided I'd write something for her :D

“Sabo!”

The revolutionary turned to a man waving a letter while running in his direction.

The man hunched over from his sprint before holding out the paper in his head. “This is for you. I received it from a young lady. She says it’s urgent and concerns your brother.”

Luffy? Why would anybody have something urgent concerning Luffy? Was somebody after him or something? He was fine – asleep but fine – when he left him in Dressrosa so…?

“You know,” Koala nudged his rib, only to go through him with a soft curse. “It could be a trap Sabo.”

He supposed that it could be, but still… what was this thing concerning Luffy he just had to know…

He took the paper and Koala just sighed.

“Sabo! It was just a few days ago that the paper declared you Luffy’s brother! Don’t you think the timing is _too_ appropriate?”

Sabo ignored her as he read over the letter. It was brief, and nothing too revealing was inside of it. It mentioned needing assistance from the army, requesting him but if he had other matters she’d understand, but she simply had nobody else she could trust and that the matter at hand was far too sensitive to put on paper. It also outlined the urgency of the matter. The other thing too was the writing was… shaky. Messy almost, but not due to lack of discipline.

“Koala, I can’t just say no.”

“Ah! Sabo!” She called after him as he walked towards a ship.

This was their purpose. This was what they were here for. They were the revolutionary army and…

“This is our jobs. She doesn’t just want me, she wants _our_ help.”

“But she _still_ wants you! I’m telling you Sabo! This is a trap!”

Sabo groaned and tossed the letter at her. “Just read the damn letter and you’ll understand.”

Now… what was that island called again?

.xxx.

It was a small town and Sabo looked down at the paper that was his map so to speak.

_Follow the river that flows through the town downstream for a few miles, there you will come across a small farm…_

Koala had insisted on following him – worried as she was over the fact that this might be a trap. (And never mind her scolding of how he needs to act accordingly since he had such a high standing in the revolutionary army. This was family business damnit!)

She was far enough not to be noticed – thankfully – although close enough to help if need be.

Granted, he didn’t blame her for worrying. It _was_ suspicious but…

Ah, there it was, the farm. It was modest, a few cows, some crops… nothing on a grand scale. Perhaps enough to keep one fed with some spare change on the side.

There was nobody in the fields. The house then?

So Sabo approached the door and knocked on it.

There was the patter of feet rushing to the door.

“Anne!” A woman’s voice called out, away from the door, and the sound of more feet approached the door. “How many times have I told you not to open the door!”

When it opened, a small girl was smiling up at him, her freckled cheeks still chubby with baby fat. If he had to guess, he would say she was one or two years old…

There was something about her though… as if he recognised her. (But how? How could he recognise a mere child whom he never met?) And her name… it, too, seemed to ring a bell…

_”Oi! Sabo! Didja know if I was born a girl, I’d be named Anne?” A freckled face snickered at him. “But really, can you imagine? **Me?** A girl?”_

Sabo stared at the child. No way. No fucking way…

(But the child certainly _looked_ old enough…)

“I’m so sorry! She is just gaining a sense of independence and she isn’t listening lately!” That was presumable her mother rushing on over, arms still covered in soap. “I—Oh!”

This was Moda. The woman who wrote him the letter. The modest farm owner.

But Sabo couldn’t be bothered to spare anymore of a glance at her no, his gaze kept going back to this child. Anne.

_Anne._

This couldn’t just be a coincidence. No, the resemblance was there. He could recognise it. Remember it. She was the spitting image of him. Of her father. Well, except for the strawberry blonde hair. (Which was more strawberry than blonde mind you) The shape of her eyes, too, was softer, but the determined, confident expression in her eyes was definitely the same.

“It’s no fault of yours.” He said and removed his hat, inclining a little. And that independence… most definitely… “She takes after her father. May I come in?”

Moda gasped slightly before rapidly nodded, ushering her little one inside.

This wasn’t about Luffy, no. This was about Ace.

(As the door closed behind them, he could almost _hear_ Koala’s temper tantrum.) 

.xxx.

“It wasn’t planned.”

Moda broke the silence that had settled between the two of them. She had served some tea while Anne played with her toys and ran about the house.

She was nervous, and Sabo didn’t blame her. Her supposed in-laws were wanted criminals – a pirate and revolutionary – after all. She didn’t know him.

“I had found him one day in the river…” She was playing with her skirt. “He had been injured, drowning… and I rescued him. He spent the next few days recovering and… well. We got to know one another, and enjoyed each others company.”

Sabo listened in silence. He would let her get her story out. This had to have been tough…

“We never thought anything of it, and he left, delivering a message to my parents. By the time I realised it… he had already…”

And the two of them glanced at the innocent toddler, finding amusement in arching her toy up in the air.

Innocent, oh so innocent…

“I’m presuming nobody knows?” He finally added. It was only natural considering that she couldn’t even risk writing it down on paper.

She shook her head.

“No, nobody. When I found out I… Well.” She clutched at her dress now. “I knew that I couldn’t reveal who her father was. Not after… I couldn’t let what happened to _him_ happen to her. So I created a façade. I made my parents believe her father is some wandering merchant. I gushed and gushed about this handsome travelling merchant enough times that they just presumed…” She sighed and let go of her skirt. “Because I knew if people put enough things together they would suspect…”

“Suspect?”

“…My parents work for G2. I asked if Ace would deliver a message to them and…”

Ah, yes it would only be logical that the Marines would jump to that conclusion…

“I can’t protect her if people found out. I’m not strong enough… I’m not connected in the right places… so I created that cover story. But I’m afraid… What if? I keep asking myself. And I only come to the same conclusion: _He_ would eliminate her. And nobody would stop him.”

Sabo nodded. Sakazuki would most definitely do that if he received word that Ace might have a child…

“And so,” He concluded, “you asked me to come here so I can protect her.”

“I-well…” She shook her head a bit. “I actually wanted to see if you could get a hold of Luffy. I figured that, maybe, you might also be Ace’s… but worse come worse I knew you could get a hold of Luffy and…” She sighed before smiling a sad smile. “Anne, come here honey.”

The little girl looked at her mother before rushing over, toy clasped against her body, eyes wide. “Yes Mama?”

And Moda picked up her daughter and placed her in her lap. “Anne, this is your uncle Sabo. He’s your Papa’s brother.”

“Papa?” The girl’s eyes sparked. “Mama says little about Papa.”

Moda was stroking her daughter’s hair. “I know honey, I know. Can you say it Anne? Can you say Un-cle Sa-bo?”

“N-cull Sa-po…” Her face contorted a little in frustration and she repeated, not getting a much better result.

Sabo laughed softly and leaned in. “It’s okay Anne, we’ll work on it. You’ll get better.”

Ah, she was adorable. His niece. His _niece._

(It only ignited a metaphorical flame in his stomach. This was completely unfair. No child should have to fear for their life. No mother should have to fear for their child. Blood did not make one’s life. Guilt was not inherited.)

“So...” He said and looked back up at Moda. “What do you intend to do? What do you want me to do?”

“I did it before, and I can do it now…” She started. “I’m going to build a memorial. I’m going to tell my parents, and therefore the marines, that Anne had a fever for a few days, and then one day she was… gone.” Moda leaned down and kissed the crown of her daughter. “It’s not a lie.” She explained shakily. “You can build a memorial for somebody who isn’t dead. And she _was_ suffering from a fever last week… and she’ll be gone… if you’ll take her. One didn’t necessarily cause the other though. But they will presume. It isn’t that uncommon that a child dies from illness in their first few years of life after all. And that, combined with my mourning of my lost child… nobody will question it.”

A smart woman. A smart determined woman. He could see just what Ace saw in her…

She was filled with it. She would do anything it took to save her child. She would be sad, but the pride in knowing her child was safe and secure was worth every tear…

He sighed.

“…You do realise though, if I take her, she’ll most likely be raised to become a revolutionary, and we aren’t exactly on the best of terms with the government, right?”

“Better her become wanted for what she has done versus wanted for who she is!”

And there, Moda’s voice became passionate, and that determination only hardened her eyes. Honest, she was truly honest. “Better for her to live than to _die_ as a toddler because the government doesn’t want to let a certain bloodline to survive!”

“…Mama?”

Did Anne know they were talking about her? About her future?

A sob left Moda as she held her child tightly.

“I’s okay Mama.” She whispered with a slight slur, patting Moda’s back. “I’s okay.”

“Thank you honey…” She whispered back. After a few emotionally tense moments she looked back up at Sabo, that determination still there. “I don’t want to, but I have to.”

Sabo smiled sadly, tugging on his hat. “I know, I was just ensuring. The last thing the revolutionary army needs right now is a mother claiming we stole her child to the marines.”

Moda only nodded. “No – I understand. You… don’t even know me and…”

Sabo laughed softly, shaking his head. “Please, please, it’s not like that.” He explained and ruffled her hair like he would Luffy’s. “I know just how much you care for little Anne here, and what lengths you would go for her, but… if you wanted her back… I was just ensuring that, yes, you truly believed this was the best path for her. If I am to do as you ask me to, I need your full cooperation. I can’t have you doubting or regretting your actions weeks, months, even years down the line. One slip up could spell disaster for you, her, and the revolutionary army.”

Moda looked at him incredulously. “You don’t doubt me?”

He could only laugh again. “If you _ever_ knew Ace as a kid, you’d know she’s the spitting image of him. I’d be willing to bet she has quite the temper too.”

Anne stuck her tongue out at him.

Yup, that was Ace’s daughter alright.

“So… you’ll take her?”

Sabo nodded. “She’s family after all. What kind of brother would I be if I didn’t ensure my little adorable niece lives a fulfilling, full life?” He smiled at them. “Ah… I’ll leave you to get yourselves organised now.”

He closed the door behind him with a heavy sigh.

Ace’s daughter huh…? Who would’ve figured…?

Sabo held out his hand, letting a flame dance in his hand. He might not have been there for Ace, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t there for his daughter!

.xxx.

“Mama do Anne hafta go bye bye?”

Sabo looked at the torn child.

“Unfortunately yes, but Uncle Sabo will be there for you, okay honey? It’s not safe with Mama anymore, but Uncle Sabo will keep you safe.”

“Dun wanna Mama…”

Sabo knelt in front of Anne, placing his hand on her shoulder. He felt for the child, he really did. “Hey, Anne, maybe one day when it’s safer, I’ll bring you to see Mama for a bit. How’s that? I know it’s hard to leave family… but I’m family too.”

She turned and looked up at him with sad but hopeful eyes. “Really ‘Ncle Sapo?”

Sabo smiled back, trying not to laugh at his mutilated name. “I’ll try my hardest, okay? I can’t say for sure, but I’ll do my best. Nobody knows what tomorrow is but we can try!” He ruffled her hair before grinning at her, continuing in a hushed tone. “And hey, think of it like you’re a big girl now ‘kay? That what you’re doing is protecting Mama and keeping her safe, okay?”

Those eyes went wide again. “…Mama not safe?”

Sabo shook his head. “Anne isn’t either. Not while Anne stays with Mama. But if Anne comes with Uncle Sabo, Anne is keeping Mama and Anne safe.”

And she nodded enthusiastically. “Okay! Anne keep Mama safe!”

He read the lips of Moda as she thanked him. And he held out his hand before a small one was placed in his.

“Oh!” Moda said hurriedly. “I almost forgot… ah I never knew which to use but… what do you think Ace would have preferred? Gol D. or Portgas D? I never knew for certain, so I held off on fully naming her…”

Sabo laughed softly. This was easy. “Portgas D. Definitely.”

Moda smiled back. “I figured as much. Portgas D. Anne it is.”

And Sabo looked down at those curious, wide eyes. “But that’s a secret, okay Anne?”

And they brightened up before she nodded.

Portgas D. Anne huh? The most wanted 15 month old in the world.

It just didn’t know that yet. (And hopefully never will…)

**Author's Note:**

> So I uh, have more stuff of this on my tumblr. (petite-neko) If you go to my blog, it is under the tag 'pdanne'. (So /tagged/pdanne)
> 
> Excuse me while I go hide under a rock now. (I'm very nervous to post this here and ahhh >


End file.
